New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was officially recognised as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the 18th Lok Sabha Wednesday, a day after his party communicated its decision to appoint him as the LoP to pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.
The LoP holds an important position in a parliamentary democracy. As LoP, Gandhi will now be part of the high-level committee that selects the Chief Election Commissioners, CBI director, Lokpal, Chief Vigilance Commissioner and National Human Rights Commission chairperson.
As LoP, Gandhi will be a “shadow Prime Minister.” According to the ‘Practice and Procedure of Parliament’, a manual published by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, as a shadow Prime Minister, the LoP has to be prepared to “take up the responsibility of forming a government if his party secures a majority at an election or if the government resigns or is defeated.”
“He has, therefore, to measure carefully his words and actions, and on a matter of national interest to act with as much responsibility as is expected of the Prime Minister,” the manual says.
Gandhi’s appointment as LoP is expected to give fresh impetus to the opposition INDIA bloc, which has ramped up 234 seats as against the NDA’s 293.
The position was lying vacant for the last 10 years as the principal opposition party did not have the requisite numbers. In the two previous Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019, Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were the leaders of the Congress in the House in the absence of LoP.
In fact, Rahul Gandhi will be the third in the Gandhi family to take on the role of LoP. Before him, both his parents had held the post. Rajiv Gandhi was the LoP from 1989 to 1990, and Sonia Gandhi held the post from 1999 to 2004.
As Rahul Gandhi takes on the mantle of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, ThePrint looks at who gets to become the LoP, the role, responsibilities and the privileges he enjoys in a parliamentary system.
A ‘PM-in-waiting’ with a cabinet rank
As LoP, Gandhi will have a cabinet rank. The position — both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — has statutory recognition. The LoP is given salary and certain other facilities and amenities as mandated by The Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.
For instance, as LoP, Gandhi will be entitled to a seat in the Lok Sabha in the front row left to the Chair next to the seat of Deputy Speaker and a room in Parliament House with Secretarial and other facilities.
According to a Lok Sabha Secretariat booklet, the LoP enjoys certain privileges on ceremonial occasions, like escorting the Speaker-elect to the rostrum; and a seat in the front row at the time of Address by the President to both the Houses of Parliament among others.
Also Read: With NDA set to take oath for 3rd time, all eyes on big bureaucratic appointments of Modi 3.0
How is LoP chosen
The LoP is chosen from among the largest recognised opposition parties in the Lok Sabha.
According to rules established by G.V.Mavalankar, the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha, a political party must command a minimum of 10 percent of the Lok Sabha’s total strength — at least 55 Members of Parliament out of 543 — to qualify as a parliamentary party. The leader of the largest opposition party meeting this criterion assumes the position of LoP.
Upon receiving a request from the largest opposition party to recognise its designated leader as the LoP, the Speaker reviews the request through the secretariat and grants recognition accordingly.
It was on 1 November 1977 that the offices of the LoPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were created by an Act of the Parliament. Before this, except for a brief spell of one year (December 1969-December 1970), there had been no official ‘Opposition’ in the sense the term is used in the parliamentary system of government.
The position remained vacant during intervals from 1970 to 1977, from 1980 to 1989, and most recently from 2014 to 2024.
“Consequent on the split in the Congress Party in November 1969, the association of members dissociating themselves with the ruling party was given recognition as Opposition party as it satisfied the tests for recognition. The parliamentary party was called Congress Party (opposition) and its leader was accepted as the Leader of the Opposition,” the manual says, adding that since Independence, it was the first time that the Lok Sabha had a recognised Opposition Party and a Leader of the Opposition.
Ram Subhag Singh from Buxar constituency assumed this role in 1969 after the split within the Congress party. His tenure lasted until the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in December 1970.
Roles & responsibilities
As Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi will be part of the three-member panel responsible for selecting key officials such as the Chief Election Commissioner and heads of central agencies like the CBI and ED.
With the BJP no longer commanding an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi’s role on these committees holds potential to influence decisions and uphold democratic checks and balances.
“A Leader of Opposition is the PM-in-waiting. If the incumbent government falls, the Leader of Opposition will be asked to form the government,” P.D.T Achary, former secretary general of the Lok Sabha, told ThePrint.
Achary added that since the country follows the British parliamentary system, a Leader of Opposition is an important role. Known as the shadow prime minister, under the Westminster tradition, the Leader of the Opposition also assembles a shadow cabinet. Therefore, their role extends beyond critiquing and challenging the government to potentially assuming responsibility for forming an alternative administration if the incumbent government collapses.
In a 2019 article, Achary had argued against Congress not being given the option to have a Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, stating that since the position was a statutory one, the numerically largest party in the opposition had the right to have their leader recognised as the Leader of the Opposition by the Speaker.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Modi’s core team in PMO to continue. Principal Secy PK Mishra, NSA Doval & 2 advisers retained